Windmill-oiler



PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904.

s. E. BURKE.

WINDMILL oILER. APPLICATION FILEIQRJAN. 20, 1903".

N0 MODEL.

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i UNITED STATES Patented January 12, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

STEPHEN E. BURKE, OF EDON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BURKE-BOLL- MEYER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF VVAUSEON, OHIO.

wlNDMlLL-OILER.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,526, dated -]'anuz 1.ry` 12, 1904. Application led January 20, 1903. Serial No. 139,783. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN E. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edon, in the county of Williams and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful `Windmill- Oiler, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in devices for lubricating windmills.

he object of the present invention is to improve the construction of devices for supplying the bearings of a windmill with a lubricant and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive windmill-oiler designed to be iixed to a windmill at the top thereof and adapted to be readily connected with the various bearings of the same and capable of being operated from the ground to deliver a predetermined quantity of oil to the bearings when desired.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawf tube 2 forms a guide or way for a verticallyings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthe invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a windmill-oiler constructed in accordance with this invention, the verticallymovable plunger or lubricant-carrier being arranged at the bottom of the vertical tube or way. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the verticallymovable plungeror lubricant-carrier being raised for delivering a charge oi' oil to the distributing pipes or tubes. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view on-the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, illustrating the construction of the stop for limiting the upward moymement of the plunger or oil-carrier.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

1 designates an oil can or receptacle having a central vertical tube 2 and provided with a tapered lower portion or bottom 3 for di recting the lubricant toward the lower portion of the vertical tube 2. The vertical tube 2, which extends entirely through the oil-can, projects above and below the same and is constructed of cold drawn steel or other suitable material, and its lower end is closed by a vertical plug 4, constructed of steel or other suitable material and extended beyond the lower end of the tubeand secured by a set-screw 5 or other suitable fastening device in an opening 6 of a bracket-arm 7 whereby the lubricator is detachably mounted on a windmill and is adapted to be readily applied to any windmill. The oil can or receptacle, which may `be constructed of any suitable material, is preferably cylindrical, and it is provided at its top 8, which is tapered, with a suitable filling-opening having a screw-cap 9 or other suitable closure; but suitable means may be provided, ,if desired, for supplying the can or receptacle 1 with oil from the base of the tower.

The vertically-disposed centrally-arranged reciprocating plunger or oil-carrier 10, which is adapted to convey a quantity of oil from the can or receptacle to a series of distributing-pipes 11, located above the said oil can or receptacle and arranged at an inclination, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The vertically-movable plunger or oil-carrier 10 is provided near its lower end with an annular recess 12, forming a reduced portion or stern and providing an oil-chamber, whereby when the plunger or carrier is elevated from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings to that illustrated in Fig. 2 a quantity of oil will be conveyed upward to the distributing-pipes and supplied to the bearings of a windmill. The lower portion. of the central vertical guide-tube 2 is provided with upper and lower supply-apertures 13 and 14, arranged in pairs, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and lying above and below the lower end of the plunger or carrier in the lowest position to permit oil to flow from the interior of the can or receptacle to the chamber or recess 12 and also to causeI the oil in the lower portion of the tube 2 to flow therefrom to the interior of clination of the pipes 11 is s'uflicient to causeY the can when the plunger or carrier descends, whereby the oil within the lower end of the guide-tube is prevented from interfering with the downward movement of the plunger or carrier. The upper end 15 of the vertical stem or plug 4 is tapered and extends above the openings 14 to prevent the lower end of the plunger or carrier from closing the same.

rlhe distributing-pipes 11,.which are preferably tapered as shown, are mounted upon and suitably secured to the tapered or conical top 8 of the oil can or receptacle, and the inthe oil to iiow readily through them to kthe bearings to be lubricated. The outer tapered end of the distributing-pipes project beyond the side walls of the can or receptacle and form nipples 16 for the reception of flexible tubes 17 for connecting the distributing-pipes with the movable elements of a windmill, and where exible tubing is not required any other form of tube may be employed for conveying the oil to the bearings to be lubricated. Any number of distributing pipes and tubes may be employed, and the iexible tubes are detachably fitted on the tapered projecting nipples of the distributing-pipes. The central vertical guide-tube is provided above the oil can or receptacle with delivery perforations or apertures 18 and 19, arranged in pairs and communicating with the enlarged ends of the distributing-pipes to permit air to pass into the oil .chamber or recess 12 and to allow the oil to How readily therefrom.

The upper end of the plunger or carrier is reduced to form a shank or lug 20, having a perforation into which is linked one end of the chain 21; but any other form of iiexible connection may be employed. The iiexible connection extends upward from the plunger and passes over a grooved guide-pulley 22 and extends outward and downward from the upper end of the tube, being connected at its outer end with a wire 23 or other suitable connection for enabling the plunger or carrier to be elevated from the base of the windmill-tower. The wire 23 extends downward through a guide 24; but any other form of connection may be employed. The guide 24 is mounted on the oil can or receptacle at one side thereof, and any number or character of guides may be provided for this purpose. The upper end-of the central guide-tube is split longitudinally and cut laterally, the partially-severed portions 25 being bent outward, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and arranged at opposite sides of the grooved guide-pulley. The upper end of the guide-tube is covered by a hood or cap 26, constructed of sheet metal and tapered, as shown. rlhe inner portion of the hood, which is provided with a horizontal top, conforms to the configuration of the adjacent portions of the tube, and the outer portion, which projects beyond the partially.- severed portions of the tube, hasA an inclined outer wall. The operating connection is returned to its initial position after a quantity of oil has been delivered to the distributingpipes by means of a coiled spring 27, secured at its upper end to the hood by a hook 28 and connected at its lower end with the wire by means of a ring or link 29, receiving the lower end of the chain and provided with an arm or projection. rlhe arm or projection is suitably secured to the spring; but any other suitable means may be employed for connecting the spring with the operating means. The spring returns the wire to its initial position, and thereby allows the plunger or carrier to de- .scend to the lower end of the guide-tube.

The upward movement of the plunger or carrier is limited by a stop 30, consisting of an approximately U-,shaped piece of flexible metal and arranged horizontally a short distance below the cap or hood, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The guide-tube is provided at opposite sides with slots 31 for the reception of the sides of the stop, which slides horizontally in the slots and which has the terminals 32 of its sides bent at an angle, as indicated in Fig. 1, to form lugs for preventing the withdrawal of the stop. The stop is removable, andthe sides project inward into the vertical guide-tube andare arranged in the path of the upper end of the plunger or carrier to limit the upward movement of the same. The stop limits the upward movement of the carrier, so that when the same is raised for lubricating the bearings the recess, which forms the oil-chamber, will register with the upper apertures 13 and 14, which communicate with the` distributingpipes 11.

Any number of apertures may be provided at the upper and lower portions of the guide tube or way for the purposes hereinbefore set forth, and the upper apertures of the lower set are larger than the lower ones, and the lower apertures of the upper set are of a greater diameter than .the upper ones; but the construction may be varied from that described.

1t will be seen that the windmill-lubricator is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readily applied to a windmill, and that it is capable of being operated at will to supply the bearings of a windmill with a predetermined quantity of oil. It will also be apparent that the de- .vice is operable from the base of the tower of a windmill and that after an operation the operating means is returned to its initial position to permit the plunger or carrier to descend freely to the bottom of the tube.

What l claim is- 1. A device of the class described, compris- .ing a reservoir or receptacle, a vertical tube extending into the reservoir or receptacle and having delivery and supply apertures, distributing-pipes located above the surface of the lubricant and communicating with and extending from the delivery-apertures, and a verti- IOO IIO

1 cally a movable""lcarrierloperating in the tube Hi'or conveyingthelubricant from the supply tothe delivery apertures thereof, substantially l `as described.

t devicefoi'the class described comprising a receptacle orreservoir,"anupright guidetube` arranged within the` reservo'iror recep- "3l l A 1*device oi' the class ldescribed compris'- ing iareservoir `orireceptacle having aftapering top, alseries of inclined distributing-pipes supported" byvthel vtopl ofthe reservoiror re"- ceptacle,1and` an; `oil-c aurier for conveyingthe e tributing-pipeslsubstantia toman oil-tube extending `iupvvard through the lubricant upward te upper? ends 'ofi the dis-l yl asldes'cribedl Al device otthe class described? comprisreservoir or receptacle having conical i top of the reservoir or receptacle,aiseries" of inclined distributing-pipes suppfortfedjby the conical top of the reservoirlrreceptacle and l extending' from the said tube, and a carrier operating 1n the tube for conveying a lubricant to the upper ends of the distributingpipes, substantially as described.

i 5. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, inclined distrib- F `ating-pipes located above the surface of the lubricant, and a carrier operable in the receptacle or reservoir for conveying the lubricant "upward to the upper ends of the distributingi f pipes, `substantially as described.

6. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube extending through the same, a plug secured within the lower end of the tube and projecting therefrom, a bracket-arm receiving the plug and provided with means for engaging the same,

distributing-pipes extending from the tube at a point above the surface of the lubricant, and a carrier operating in the tube for con- 1 veying the lubricant to the distributing-pipes,

substantially as described.

7. A device of the class `described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube extended through the bottom of the same and provided at its lower portion with upper and lower supply-apertures located within the reservoir or receptacle, a plug provided with a tapered i upper end and secured within the lower end "of the tube, the tapered end projecting above i the lower aperture, a plunger `or carrier operating in the tube and provided at its lower portion with a recess adapted to register'with` i the upper supply-aperture, and means for `conveying a lubricant from the carrier when the same is elevated to the bearingsto be lubricated, substantially as described.

8. A device of the class described comprisi ing a reservoir or receptacle, a tube extended through the bottom of the same and provided at'its loxvefrportion with upper and"lower supply-apertures located within the reservoir Orlefptale, a plug provided with a tapered i ing'areservoir or receptacle, a tube connected therewfitlif` and providedwith upper and lower supply.- apertures communicating with AVthe lower part "of the same, a carrierA operating in the tube and providedat' its lower portionwith a recess forming an oil-chamber,- means located `withiri-thfe-tube fforysupporting the carrier abovefthelower apertureand withthe upper aperture in communication with therecess and meansifor conveying 'a lubricant from the carrierl'whenthe samelis elevated. e ,A

Aidevice of the class described, comprising lresei'ivir for receptacle, an lupright tube communicating therewith, lubricant-carrier operating inlV thetubei andan inclined distributing-pipe communicating with the tube and supported by the reservoir or receptacle and projecting beyond the same and forming a nipple to receive a flexible tube, substantially as described.

11. A device ofthe class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube located within the i reservoir or receptacle and extending above the same, a distributing-'pipe located above the surface of the lubricant, a carrier operating in the tube for conveying a lubricant to the distributing-pipe, and a stop mounted on the tube and located above the reservoiror receptacle and arranged in the path of the carrier for limiting the movement oi' the same, substantially as described.

12. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube communicating therewith, a carrier operating in the tube, a distributing-pipe located above the surface of the lubricant and extending from the tube, and a stop projecting into the tube above the distributing-pipe, and removable from the exterior thereof, substantially as described.

13. Adevice of the class described, comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube communicating therewith and provided with opposite slots, a stop straddling the tube and extending through the slots into the same and provided with means for securing it in position, a carrier operating in the tube and arranged to have its upward movement limited by the stop and means for conveying a lubricant from the carrier when the same is elevated, substantially as described.

14C. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube communicating therewith and provided with opposite slots, a lubricant-carrier operating in the IOO TIO

tube, a stop provided with opposite sides arranged in the slots and having their terminals bent to form lugs for'engaging the tube, and a distributing-pipe extending from the tube and arranged to convey a lubricant from the carrier when the same is elevated, substantially as described.

15. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube located Within and extending above the same, a lubricant-carrier operating in the tube, distributing-pipes extending from the tube and located above the surface of the lubricant in the reservoir or receptacle, guiding means arranged above the distributing-pipes, and operating mechanism having a iiexible connection supported by the guiding means and connected With the carrier, substantially as described.

16. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, atube located Within and extending above the same and provided With ahood,a lubricant-carrier operating in the tube, means for conveying a lubricant from the tube, a guide located Within the hood, operating means having a flexible connection running over the guide and connected With the carrier, and a spring supported by the hood and connected with the operating means, substantially as described.

17. A device of the class described comprising a reservoir or receptacle, a tube located Within and extending above the same and having its upper portion split longitudinally and cut laterally, the partially-severed portions being extended beyond the tube, a hood arranged on and connected with the upper split portion of the tube, a guide housed Within the hood, a lubricant-carrier arranged Within the tube, a flexible connection running over the guide and connected with the carrier, and means for conveying a lubricant from the tube above the level of the same in the reservoir, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

STEPHEN E. BURKE. Witnesses:

J. F. Coss, J. M. TONER. 

